Oppo has been making waves in the smartphone industry with its latest tease of the Find N5, a foldable device that promises to redefine what we expect from the form factor of such gadgets. The company has taken to Weibo, China’s equivalent of X, to showcase just how slender its upcoming foldable can get, hinting at a design that’s pushing the boundaries of current technology.

Zhou Yibao, the product manager for Oppo’s Find series, has been at the forefront of this reveal, posting photos that demonstrate the Find N5’s minimal thickness. In one captivating image, the device is juxtaposed against an iPhone 16 Pro Max, making the latter look almost bulky by comparison. At its thinnest, the Find N5 seems to hover around 4mm, a figure that’s particularly impressive when you consider the limit set by the necessity of including a USB-C port, which measures at least 2.6mm thick.

Zhou’s recent posts have been playful yet informative, comparing the Find N5’s thickness to everyday items like four stacked ID cards or two Chinese yuan coins, which vividly illustrate the device’s slim profile. This design achievement is not just about aesthetics; it represents a significant engineering challenge overcome by Oppo, aiming to make foldables more pocket-friendly and less intrusive in daily use.

Another highlight of the Find N5 is its water resistance, which has been described with an impressive IPX9 rating. This rating signifies that the device can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets, a standard typically seen in industrial equipment rather than consumer electronics. Additionally, the phone boasts an IPX8 rating for submersion in water and an IPX6 for protection against lower-pressure water jets, showcasing Oppo’s commitment to durability in environments where other foldables might falter.

What’s in a name?

Interestingly, Oppo skipped the Find N4, a nod to cultural nuances where the number four, due to its phonetic similarity to the word for “death” in Chinese, is often avoided. Instead, we jump from the Find N3 directly to the Find N5, which is expected to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor by launching globally under the OnePlus brand, potentially as the OnePlus Open 2.

This strategic naming and branding could see the device competing head-to-head with giants like Samsung and Google in the foldable market. The OnePlus Open successfully carved out a niche last year, and with the Find N5/OnePlus Open 2, Oppo seems poised to push the envelope further.

With the Find N5 slated for a launch in China next month, anticipation is building. Not only does it promise to be the thinnest foldable on the market, but with its advanced water resistance and expected high-end specs, it’s shaping up to be a significant contender in the global smartphone scene.